My favorite Japanese movie is a cult classic. You’d assume from that opening I’m embarking on a “Binging With Babish” cinema homage, but quite the opposite. Juzo Itami’s “Tampopo” (1985) opened my eyes to why it is so hard to nail the nuance of a good bowl of ramen in the confines of the home kitchen (or a 500-word recipe). Of course I’ve tried, as I suspect many have.
The inherent paradox is that the simpler a dish seems, the harder it is to get right. Even with an interest in slow food, I am happily resigned to leaving ramen to the craftspeople, who execute the dish for less profit than their dedication deserves.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.